Maternity garment



June 2341953 D; s, PRESCQTT 2,642,575

IIATERNITY GARIIENT INVENTOR om offs .5. Pmscow;

ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1953 Application July 12, 1950, Serial No. 173,260

a claims.

My invention relates to maternity garments and particularly to dresses and skirts for wear during a period of pregnancy.

An object of the invention is to provide a maternity garment readily adjustable, to the changing figure during the period of pregnancy and so constructed and arrangedas best to disguise the condition.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a construction for a dress or skirt for wear during a periodof pregnancy which, as worn, creates the impression that the figure of the wearer is normal and not characterized by any substantial abdominal distension.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further 0bjects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a maternity garment in the form of a skirt embodying my invention, with a flap portion of the skirt in open position; Fig. 2 shows the skirt of Fig. l with the flap portion in closed position as the skirt appears in use; and Fig. 3 shows a dress embody ing my invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the skirt comprises a back skirt portion made up of three panels I, 2, and'3, panel I adjoining the lateral edge at the right -hand side of panel 2 and being attached thereto by a sewed seam 4, and panel 3 similarly adjoining the left hand lateral edge of panel' 2 and being attached thereto by sewed seam 5.` The right and left as herein used referjto these I.sides of the wearer, rather than to positions as seen in the drawings. The back skirtportion is attached by stitches to an intermediate portion of a belt 1 and is supported by and depends from',Y

9 and I0, are arranged to coincide with the inner folds of the pleats I I and I2.

A right side sk'irt'seam I5 joins panels IH and 9, and a left side skirt seam IB joins panels 3 and I0 along appropriateadjacent lateral edges of the front and back skirt portions.

Belt member I'I extends along and support Y the front skirt portion, to which it is attached by suitable stitches. vThis belt member is arranged to be adjustable in length, and for this purpose it preferably comprises two parts I8 and I9 carrying a plurality of respective cooperating fastener members such as buttons 20 and button holes 2|. These fastener members are arranged along the parts I8 and I9 to permit adjustment in length between the opposite ends of the belt member I'I. These opposite ends are attached to the inner side of belt 'I at, or immediately above, the respective side skirt seams I5 and I6.

The cut out portion 22 of the front skirt portion is preferably of approximately the shape of a U, and serves to prevent the lower hem line, at. the bottom of panel 8, for example, from being pulled up into an unsightly andl awkward posi'- tion by the ydistended abdomen of pregnancy. The lower front portion of the skirt is thus permitted to fall in a normal manner near the thighs and knees of the wearer, and the lower hem line is maintained substantially even and horizontal. Furthermore, the pleats I I and I2 are not opened out by the distended labdomen because the pleatsl terminate at the edge of the cut out portion 22. It will be understood, accordingly, that the lcut. out portion extends completely across thecenter. panel 8 and into the panels 9 and I0. The binding or hem which is formed around the out out portion ,22 by means of stitches, not shown in the, drawing, maintains Athe pleats-*closed at the top,l

at 23 and 24, and since this is below the ab'domen, there is normally nothing below this point which tends to'open out the pleats.

The skirt of Fig. l further comprises a flap 25 generally tapered or triangular in shape and with an upper edge at substantially a right angle to the longer end or side edge. This longer side edge is stitched to panels I or 9, or to both,.at the right side skirt seam I5, and along the top edge, tothe belt 'l starting at the side seam and continuing along toward the free end portion 25" of the belt. Pleats 21 are creased into the ilap 25 to extend approximately vertically when the skirt is worn, land the top ends of these pleats are held in proper-shape by stitching the fla-p tothe belt after the pleats are formed. The diagonal lower edge and the shorter end edge are suitably bound or hemmed as shown. Y Free ends 26 and 28 of belt 1 extend, respectively,;bey ond the end of flap 25 and outwardly from the left side seam I 6 to permit flap 25 to be `in use.

draped across the front of the skirt, as best seen in Fig. 2, and to be held in place across the front by tying these ends together on the left hip of the wearer.

Fig. 2 shows the skirt of Fig. 1 as it appears 'Ihe ap 25 is in position to cover the abdominal opening or cut out portion 22, indicated in dotted lines. The free ends 26 and 28 of the belt 1 are tied in a bow knot on the left hip, and the belt 1 covers andhides from view buttons and button holes 2|. The front portion of the skirt, including panels 8, 9, and l0, hangs normally close to the legs of the wearer, While the ap may be displaced forwardly by the abdomen at the opening 22. The lower hem of the flap 25, if the abdomen is distended, will fall a short distance in front of the central front skirt panel 8. The flap is loose fitting, however,

and gives the appearance of hanging out from the skirt only because of its loose iitting nature, disguising the real cause of its outwardly extending position. The effectiveness of this guise is increased by the vertical pleats `21 of the flap and by the diagonal direction of the lower hem of the ap in passing from the right tothe left side of the body.

The skirt shown in Figs. l and 2 is readily put on and taken off over the feet of the wearer with buttons 28 removed from the button holes 2l and, of course, with belt ends 28 and 28 untied. When the skirt is in place, in putti-ng it on, the buttons 20 are buttoned into the button holes 2| selected'for suitable `fit as determined by the varying waist measurement, and nally the belt ends '26 and 28 are tied together in a bow knot at the desired position to make the 'i just snug about the waist. YThe ease `with which the skirt may be taken olf and put on, particularly in that it need not be putl on over the head, and the simplicity of adjustment provided byV4 the con-A struction and arrangement of front belt member I1, `and the arrangement of belt 1 including the tying end portions 26 and 28, are important features of the invention as embodied in the skirt garment. It is also to be noticed that the construction of the skirt is simple and requires only well understood dressmaking procedures and ordi* narily available materials.

Y Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention in the form of a complete dress, wherein the dress comprises a skirt portion similar to that heretofore described and a top or waist portion 29. The skirtV portion of the dress comprises panelssewed together,v one to the next, in the manner described in connection with Figs. v1` and 2, and the rear panels are sewed to-thelinterlmediate portion ofY a belt 38 in substantially the same manner. The dress also has `an opening or out out portion 3| positioned in the abdominal areaand a iiap 32 sewed to portion 33 of the beit 138 tocover the opening when end portions 3d and 35 of the belt are knotted on the left hip.

The'front panels of the skirt portion Adepend from a belt member comprising two portions-36 and 31 arranged for adjustable and detachable fastening together above the opening 3l buttons 38 and button holes 39 being shown as suitable for this purpose. Pleats 48 inthe vfront skirt portion and pleats 4I in the iiap 32 are provided for the purposes heretofore considered in con. nection with Figs. 1 and 2.

The waist portionrof the dress comprises two overlapping members 42 and 43 arranged to cross in the front of the dress. The lower edge ofthe underlying left hand member 42 is attached i along portion 36 of the front belt member, while the overlying right hand member 43, at its lower edge, is attached along portion 33 of belt 30, to which the depending flap 32 is also attached. The lower edge of the back of the waist is preferably sewed to the belt as shown in Fig. 3, and the waist may be providedfwith sleeves 44 and a neck or collar portion 45 in yany desired manner.

The dress is readily put on, with buttons 38 unfastened, either by stepping through the skirt portion or by slippingthe skirtovery the head and shoulders, the former being preferred because of the danger of injury in raising the arms during pregnancy.

With the arms through the sleeves, the dress ris, ready for the engagement of the buttons 38 inthe selected button holes 39 to hold belt memberportions and 31 at the desired taughtnessacross the front of the' body. It 4will be understood that the yrespective rremote ends of the belt member portions 36 and 31 are `attached to the inner side of' belt 38l at or near the upper ends of the skirt side seams, which join :the front and back skirt portion together. i

As seen in Fig. 3, fastening of thel buttons 38 disposes the underlying front waist member 42 across the upper body from left to right. Thereafter, the'ove'rlying waistv 'member is kbrought across from right to left, together with flap 32, as the free end portion 34 of belt 30 is moved into yposition for tying to the free' end portion of the ben. Y

The dress construction may be'modied'by attaching the lower edge of vwaist portion '43' along the portion 31 of the front belt member instead of to the portion 33v of 'the belt 30, in the same manner that waist portion 42 -is'shown attached to portion 36 of the' belt member,y but this modified construction is usually'notso lde sirable as that shown in Fig. 3. In eitherlcase,y

however, portion 33 overlies an-d shields buttons 38 and button holes 39 from view, and'opening 3i is covered by flap 32.

The embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is conveniently adapted for 'use with a blouse or shirtwaist. Iniorder' to demonstrate the preferred manner in which a blouse maybe worn with the skirt, the lower portionV of a blouse 48 is shown in'Fig. 1. One or more quick detachable fastening members arefpro vided on-the blouse to cooperate with members mounted on the SkirtfThese members' may be of the snap fastener typ@`v and hrn'ay. corny/arise,A as shown, two male snap fastener members l1 ar-v ranged on the blouse and two female snap fastener VVmembers 48 attached, respectivelyy to `the inner sides of parts Vi8 an-d I3 of belt member I1 tocooperate with Vthe members .41 `when the there is little likelihood of anunsightly gapv oc-,f

curringbetween blouse and skirt.` These-ad` vantages are'of increasedimportance as {the later stages of pregnancy rare reached.

While vI have shown 'only V certain preferred embodiments of my invention-by way of l'illustration, many modifications Vwill occur'to those skilled in the arr, and 1 thereforewishf tchate' it understood thatl intend, in theI appended claims, to cover au such modifications as fair within the true spirit and-scope of myf` invention,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A maternity garment comprising a skirt having side seams, a back portion, and a front portion, a belt attached at an intermediateportion to said back skirt portion, a belt member attache-:i at its ends to the inner side of said belt adjacent said sido seams, said iront skirt portion having an upper, central, generally-U- shaped cut out portion and being attached` to said belt member on each side of said cut out portion, a plurality of vertical pleats in said front skirt portion, said pleats terminating upwardly at a lower part of said cut out portion and being sewed in shape thereat, means at said cut out portion to adjust the length of said belt member, and a vertically pleated flap member depending from a portion of said belt adjacent said intermediate portion, said flap member being proportioned and arranged to hide said cut out portion when said belt is disposed in normal body-encircling position.

2. A maternity garment comprising a belt, a rear skirt portion attached to and depending from an elongated intermediate portion of said belt, said rear skirt portion having two respective lateral edges and said intermediate portion of said belt being bounded by and extending between a rst bound at one of said lateral edges and a second bound at the other said lateral edge, a generally triangular flap member having two edges mutually substantially perpendicular, one of said edges of said flap member being attached along said one lateral edge of said rear skirt portion and the other ap edge being attached along a portion oi said belt adjoining said intermediate portion `at said rst bound, said flap member having an end opposite said one edge of said flap member, said belt extending beyond said end of said flap member to form a terminal rst tie portion and extending from and beyond said other bound of said intermediate portion to form a terminal second tie portion for tying adjacent said other edge of said `rea-r skirt portion to said rst tie portion, thereby to maintain said 'ap depending from said belt across the front of the body of the wearer, a belt member attached at its opposite extremities to the inner side of said rst belt at said respective bounds of said intermeback skirt portions, a belt, said back portion .Y

being attached to`and depending from said belt. said belt extending beyond said back portion at each side thereof, a belt member distinct from said belt comprising two opposed ends, adjusting means intermediate said ends to adjust the length of said belt member, said ends being at#- tached respectively to the inner side of said belt adjacent the respective sides of said back skirt portion, the upper edge of said front skirt `portion being interrupted only by a central abdomi-V nal recess in said front skirt position, the uninterrupted sections of said upper edgeton 'op' posite sides of said recess being attached to and depending from respective portions of said belt member on respective opposite sides of said adjusting means, and a flap having a side edge, a top edge and a bottom edge, said side edge and said front and back skirt portions being attached each to the other at a skirt side seam along the right hand side of the garment as worn, said top edge being attached along the right hand extension of said belt and terminating short of the end of said belt, whereby said belt has end portions extending, respectively, beyond said nap and from the left hand .side of said back skirt portion, said end portions being adapted for joining on the left hip of the wearer to dispose said flap over and across said recess and in covering relation over said adjusting means.

DOLORES S. PRESCOTI'.

References Cited in the flle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberV Name Date i 1,372,977 Prokesch Mar. 29, 1921 1,823,257 Cooper Sept. 15, 1931 2,141,814 Frankfurt et al. Dec. 27, 1938 2,352,886 Clark July 4, 1944 

